Hand trap



July 26, 1938. A JQHNSEN 2,124,738

HAND TRAP Filed July 19, 1935 INVENTOR. AKSEL J'OHNSEN.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES HAND TRAP Aksel Johnsen, Ilicn, N. Y., assignor to Remington Arms Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application July 19, 1935, Serial No. 32,199

2 Claims.

This invention relates to target throwing devices of the type which are manually operated, and commonly referred to as hand traps.

In the past, numerous attempts have been made 5 to construct effective devices for the projection of frangible targets by hand. It has in the main been thought necessary to provide a target holder having a considerable movement relative to the handle and, accordingly, target holders have been pivoted on metallic parts secured to the handle or have been joined to the handle by some such flexible means as a coil spring of substantial proportions.

The present invention contemplates a hand trap of extraordinary simplicity, and one from which the usual means providing a movement of the target holder relative to the handle are omitted. It further contemplates a hand trap con- 20 sisting of two parts only, namely, a handle and a target holder; the means for joining the handle and target holder being integral with the target holder, which holder is itself constructed of a single continuous piece of metal.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section. of a hand trap embodying the present invention; while Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective thereof. 30 The trap comprises a handle II! which is preferably of substantial length, say 12". Rigidly connected to the handle ID by suitable means, which may include a cap ferrule ll projecting over the end of the handle, is a stiff but somewhat elastic wire l2. Said wire projects forward in line with the handle for a substantial distance, say not less than half the length of the handle, and is then formed into a target holder. For this purpose, the wire is first bent sharply to the right, as indicated at l3, and then curved forwardly as shown at l3l. From the curve l3! the wire extends forwardly and somewhat laterally in a straight reach M to the point l5 whence it is turned laterally and downwardly, forming a bow 16. At the end I! of how IS the wire extends rearwardly in a reach l8 parallel to and spaced from the reach Hi. The reach I8 is somewhat longer than the reach [4 and from its rear portion the wire is curved laterally and forwardly, forming a bow l9 joining a forwardly and laterally extending reach 20. At 2i the wire is turned outwardly and at 22 upwardly to form a post 23 which may be provided with a friction member 24, preferably rotatably mounted on post 23. The

parts [8, I9 and 20 form a frame for the support of a target 25 of the usual shape and dimensionsv The rim 26 of said target passes between the reaches l4 and I8 of the holder, the parts 13 and I4 engage target shoulder 21 and are so held by the engagement of the friction member 24 with the rim of the target. A target may be placed in the holder either by insertion from the left, between friction member 23 and bend l3, or from the end, between the friction member and bend 15, the bows l6 and I9 providing for the necessary elastic displacement of post 23 and the friction member. When the trap is given a throwing motion the target is projected from the end of the holder, the whip of the shank l2 assisting in its projection and friction member 24 giving it a rapid rotary motion.

Applicant is thus able to construct a target holder and a device for joining the target holder to a handle from a single continuous piece of metal, preferably a round wire. In use the trap has been found exceptionally efficient and easy of manipulation, targets being easily projected therefrom with greater velocity and accuracy than from far more elaborate and expensive devices.

The form of the invention herein described is to be understood as typical and illustrative only, the invention being susceptible of embodiment in many other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims, which claims are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. A target holder comprising an elongated handle, and a stiff but elastic wire secured at one end only to said handle and extending in alignment with said handle to form a shank of not less than half the length of said handle, said wire beyond said shank being turned laterally and forwardly, then downwardly and rearwardly, then laterally and forwardly, and finally laterally and upwardly, toform vertical and lateral supports for a target.

2. A target holder comprising an elongated handle, a stiff but elastic wire secured at one end only to said handle and extending in alignment with said handle to form a shank of substantial length, said wire beyond said shank being formed into a reach for laterally engaging a target, a U-shaped frame for vertically supporting said target, and a device for yieldingly holding a target on said vertical support in contact with said reach.

AKSEL JOHNSEN. 

